“Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.” 
   —Ludwig Wittgenstein

“No sooner have I begun to speak—than I assume a camouflage and differ no longer from my surroundings. No sooner have I begun to differ—than my differing makes me one with my surroundings. No sooner have I become one with my surroundings—than I begin once more to speak and I differ. No sooner have I heard that no one is speaking—Than I secretly translate for myself the objects I perceive into language, and no sooner have I translated the objects—than they become a CONCEPT to me.” 
   —Peter Handke

In spring 2000, Liminal presented Playwright Peter Handke’s newest work, The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other. Handke’s play features the comings and goings of more than 400 characters who pass by one another without speaking a single word. In the silence of a imagined city square, Liminal returned the magic of storytelling to the spectator, while quietly suggesting that our media-driven culture may no longer need language to form a community. Indeed, as the play wandered into the hinterland of the surreal, the question arose—is community still possible? The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other also featured the work of visual, sound and culinary artists who produced an edible pre-performance gallery installation, digital sound design, and slide media.

The Hour We Knew Nothing of Each Other was performed in Liminal’s new gallery space, the Metropolitan Art Studio. Bryan Markovitz directed. Amanda Boekelheide directed movement. John Berendzen produced the original score and programming. Leather Storrs designed the mixed-sign-and-referent food installation. Moses Gunesch designed and photographed the digital slide photography. Actors included Amanda Boekelheide, Leslie Shearing, Georgia Luce, Brett Beserock, Jeff Marchant, Michael Brickler and Trent Moore.

Link to the performance floor plan

Press
The Oregonian, April 13, 2000

Created For Liminal by Leather Storrs

The basic concept of all recipes is to deceive the person who is eating by using false signifiers as garnish. The eater views the garnish and expects one flavor, but receives a very different flavor upon tasting the hors d-oeuvre.

Avocado and Scallion Pesto (garnished with basil)

Makes 2 pints

Ingredients:

4 ripe avocados, halved and peeled
2 bunches cilantro
2 bunches scallions
1 cup parsley
2 tbsp. lime juice
3 cloves garlic
1 jalepeno pepper, diced
salt/pepper

Blanch all greens and cool. In Cuisinart, blend greens with avocado, garlic and jalepeno. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pesto Romesco (garnished with sun dried tomatoes)

Makes 2 pints

Ingredients:

8 red bell peppers
6 dried ancho chiles, rehydrated and peeled
1 cup almonds
6 slices french bread, fried in olive oil
2 tbsp. sherry wine vinegar
6 tbsp. diced canned tomatoes
2 four oz. can diced chipolte peppers
salt/pepper

Roast, seed & peel the red peppers. Blend all ingredients in Cuisinart. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Salt Cod Brandade (garnished with dry tuscan white beans)

Makes 6 cups

Ingredients:

4 large russett potatoes
8 oz. salt cod, rehydrated
1 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp. lemon juice
salt/pepper

Rehydrate the salt cod three days in advance, changing the water once. Boil and rice the potatoes. set aside. Cook the cod submerged in water in a shallow sautee pan on medium heat until filets are flaky and slightly opaque. In Cuisinart, blend the cod, garlic and cream to form a paste. Next, in a separate bowl, mix the paste in increments with the potatoes and olive oil until the mixture is thick and firm.